Sprint HTC Hero $329.99 Off-Contract

According to Leakdroid, the Sprint HTC Hero will be available off-contract for $329.99. Considering the price of the HTC Hero with 2-year contract is already $179.99 and the various advantages in not signing a new contract, the $329.99 price seems to be a relative steal. So if you're lucky enough to be a Sprint subscriber with a great monthly plan, we suggest you strongly consider the off-contract pricing.

Motorola Droid aka Tao aka Sholes Launching October 30th ?

BGR just got a leaked Verizon Release Calendar that points the release date for the Motorola Droid aka Tao aka Sholes as October 30th. As in the end of this month. Whoa. To play it safe, the leaked Calendar suggests that October 30th is really the 'target' release date so we don't know how on track Verizon and Motorola currently are but a Verizon Android phone releasing between the Sprint HTC Hero and T-Mobile Motorola CLIQ is as competitive as it gets.

BGR has also received a slide showing that the Motorola Droid aka Tao aka Sholes is at least on track for release 'before the holidays' at Sam's Club. So even if it's not October 30th, it seems like the Verizon Motorola Android device shouldn't be too far off.

Yep, We've Got a HTC Hero

We've got the HTC Hero at Android Central Headquarters (thanks Sprint!) so you can expect full coverage on all things Hero leading up to the official launch on October 11th. We're talking about hands-on pictures, first look thoughts, Q&A's, and of course, a full fledged, in-depth review. If there's anything about the HTC Hero and HTC Sense you don't know, you'll definitely find out. And if you want any specific coverage, be sure to let us know!

In all seriousness, the Samsung Behold II is a device that's been relatively overlooked here at Android Central but now since it's official, we think it deserves another look (especially since the targeted release date is this year!). Take a look at the specs:

3.2 inch AMOLED screen

TouchWiz UI (3D cube menu for multimedia access)

5-megapixel camera with autofocus, flash, and video

3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth

microSD expansion

There's no doubt that T-Mobile is building the best-to-date Android product portfolio--the T-Mobile G1, myTouch 3G, Motorola CLIQ and now Samsung Behold II--are all wonderful options for any Android user. With Sprint (and Cellular South) being the only other Android game around, T-Mobile has started to corner the Android smartphone market. Time will tell if they can maintain their head start.

We're very interested to see how the TouchWiz UI will work with Android and more specifically, excited to see if Android can become the media powerhouse the Behold II aims to be. We're not even putting words in T-Mobile or Samsung's mouth, to quote T-Mobile product marketing director, Travis Warren:

We're looking forward to the end of 2009 because it's looking to be new Android phone release after new Android phone release. So who's excited for the Behold II? And does anyone else think that the Behold II should just be an entirely new name?

Though Android 1.6 'Donut' isn't a dramatic change from 1.5, it still adds some new features to Android. Namely, the Quick Search Box, Updated Android Market, New Battery Usage Indicator and Improved Performance all over the place. Let us know which new feature you feel is the best in the poll above.

A Close Look At The T-Mobile Motorola CLIQ

Mobile-review got their hands on the T-Mobile Motorola CLIQ and put it through the harsh light, snapping every angle of the device imaginable. Though the Motorola CLIQ doesn't release until November 2nd for $199.99, these high-quality snapshots should provide prospective buyers with a better idea of how the device looks.

Sadly, Mobile-review never managed to activate the device so we don't get a real-life look at how MOTOBLUR actually works. We'll definitely have our own in-depth look of the Motorola CLIQ in the future, so stay tuned! In the mean time feel free to hit the read link for the full gallery or the jump to see more pictures of the Motorola CLIQ!

Cellular South Offering HTC Hero for $99.99

We've already reported that Cellular South would be offering the Sprint-styled HTC Hero to their 5 million customers around the gulf coast. That was already surprising news to us, considering we've never heard of the carrier before. But the news gets even better, Cellular South has just announced that they will price the HTC Hero at $99.99 (after $50 mail-in-rebate) with their new Smartphone Unlimited Plan ($79.99 with unlimited talk, text, and data). That sounds like a pretty good deal to us.

Our commenters have lauded Cellular South for their great network and affordability, so we wouldn't be too afraid to jump in (if you can). You can pre-order the device on their website but there's no firm release date yet, so we'll keep a watch for you guys!

T-Mobile Motorola CLIQ Off-Contract Price is $449.99

If you were interested in the price of the Motorola CLIQ off-contract, you'll be happy (or is it sad?) to know that it's $449.99. For that gigantic lump sum, you'll be able to avoid a 2-year contract and still enjoy MOTOBLUR to its fullest (but you'll still probably need a data plan).

Luckily, if you don't qualify for the $199 pricing (which we personally feel is too high), there'll be a varied pricing structure depending on the status of your T-Mobile contract--so hopefully not too many of us will have to pay the $449 price.

How do you guys feel about the T-Mobile Motorola CLIQ's price of $199 with 2 year contract and $449 off contract? Will you be buying one?

More Info & Specs on Verizon Motorola Droid aka Tao aka Sholes

Okay, let's play a little bit of catch up. The device pictured above was first known as the Motorola Sholes, which for a little while turned into the Motorola Tao, and now looks to be named the Motorola Droid. Hmm. Tao is our personal favorite since we're not even sure what a 'Sholes' is and 'Droid' being too repetitive of Android. Regardless of name, it looks like the Motorola Droid/Tao/Sholes won't run MOTOBLUR, instead rocking a 'with Google' build of Android (which actually lends more credence to the 'Droid' name) that will include native Adobe Flash support.

However, most rumors and reports suggest a later reveal date for the device but with CTIA being held next week, the stars might just be aligning for us. Who's excited for this device and be sure to tell us what's your favorite name--Droid, Tao, or Sholes--in the comments!

The Sprint HTC Hero is the Android Device We're Most Excited For

We tallied up your votes, read through your answers, and came up with a clear cut winner on which Android device you guys are most looking forward to. Unsurprisingly, it's the device that's been on our minds from the very beginning, runs the best custom UI in HTC Sense, and is the device closest to launch: the Sprint HTC Hero. The voting breakdown is as follows:

Sprint HTC Hero - 40% (739 votes)

Sony XPERIA X3 'Rachael' - 25% (474 votes)

Motorola Sholes (Verizon) - 18% (332 votes)

T-Mobile Motorola CLIQ - 12% (216 votes)

Taking a closer look at the results reveal that the Verizon Motorola Sholes/Tao/Droid made a late push, likely due to the leaked pictures that showed off the stellar hardware. And though it was our own personal favorite, we're surprised that the Sony XPERIA X3 'Rachael' racked up so many votes considering it's not yet firmly linked to a carrier. The T-Mobile Motorola CLIQ finished a disappointing fourth but it's a bit unfair when being compared to these flagship devices (fix that price T-Mobile!).

And to give you guys an idea of which devices were written as 'Other': the Samsung Galaxy and InstinctQ receive a lot of votes, as did the same phones originally listed but on different carriers (Hero on AT&T, etc).

Stay tuned for the next poll! We hope you guys continue to vote and thanks for participating!

Android 1.6 Donut Officially Rolling Out

It's official folks. The Android 1.6 'Donut' update is rolling out to T-Mobile G1 and myTouch 3G devices as we speak. The update will be pushed out to users over-the-air by T-Mobile. We're glad the 'Donut' rollout went a lot smoother than the 'Cupcake' update, maybe Android and T-Mobile are getting the hang of this. Either way, be sure to let us know when you receive the 'Donut' update!

Motorola Tao aka Verizon Motorola Sholes Caught in the Wild !

Why hello there Motorola Tao. Though we once knew you as the Motorola Sholes, we think this new name fits you better. The clean lines and high-end build certainly make you look exquisite, amazing, and all types of superlative adjectives we're not sure even exist yet.

Though we don't get a full look at the Motorola Tao in the picture, this brief little preview will certainly keep all Android phone makers up at night. Don't forget that the Tao also rocks a QWERTY slider form-factor that's sure to make physical keyboard enthusiasts a tizzy. Seriously, we need official confirmation of this puppy ASAP. Did we mention that the Motorola Tao is supposed to come to Verizon and just cleared the FCC? So, who's interested in the Verizon Motorola Tao?

Android Powered ODROID Gaming Handheld Available for Pre-Order

Take one look at that device right there and ask yourself, what can't Android be? The ODROID gaming platform, powered by Android, is now available for developer pre-order and this nifty little device packs a 3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen, Android 1.5, 512MB of RAM, WiFi, Bluetooth, and mini-HDMI port (tv connectivty) and a 833MHz Samsung CPU (like the iPhone 3GS). Not bad, right? The developer version will ship November 5th and comes with charger cable, batteries, and serial console debugging board and runs for ~$320.

The obvious question is what games does Android even have that warrants a gaming platform? Hopefully, ODROID developers will answer that question soon enough. The standard ODROID gaming platform is expected to be available in December for $250.

Tmonews reports that T-Mobile is going to be rolling out Android 1.6 'Donut' to the T-Mobile G1 at 12AM Eastern Time. Select G1s will receive the update and after 24 hours, the myTouch 3G will get in on the 'Donut' action with their own update. If everything goes according to plan, 'Donut' will slowly trickle down to all the T-Mobile Android handsets soon enough.

We have yet to receive official word on the 'Donut' rollout from T-Mobile so if you do receive the Android 1.6 'Donut' update be sure to let us know! Hopefully this won't turn to another 'Cupcake'-rollout fiasco.

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